Question about products to make recovery after foot surgery safer.

Q: "I am scheduled to have bunion surgery in a few weeks. Do you have suggestions about what preparations I need to make and what products I need to make my recovery safer. Thanks, Mary."

Answer: Having gone through bunion surgery in November 2013, I have some knowledge about this, for sure! I wish someone had given me this information prior to my surgery.

First, at the visit where you schedule the surgery date, ask the doctor for a medical statement so you can get a temporary handicapped parking permit. In the State of Iowa this means filling out a short form and sending it to a state office with the doctor's statement. In my case, I learned about this permit 6 weeks after my surgery. My sister knew Pennsylvania had them. I got the mdical statement and took the on-line form to the orthopedist after my hospital discharge. (I was one of the 10% who developed an infection and spent 5 days on IV antibiotics in the hospital two weeks after surgery). In Iowa, the permit is good for 6 months. (Oh, and if your foot hurts worse 5 days after surgery, what you need is to see the doctor quickly, not be prescribed more pain medicine. I was not to unwrap the foot prior to the first post-op visit and took the additional pain meds.

Second, here are some items I believe you need for safety prior to your surgery.

A foldable walker with wheels. Buy or borrow one. Medicare does pay for walkers. Your insurance might. Have it at home when you return from surgery. Why? Because the "boot" (Medicare pays for this, too) is made so that you can put no weight on the front of your foot. Therefore walking is dangerous to say the least. Your "booted" foot is higher than your barefoot or foot with a shoe. Also getting on and off a toilet without a walker requires at least one grab bar (which my bathroom could not accommodate due to design. You will need this when you walk outside your house as well unless you have a wheelchair and someone to push it!

A shower chair or bath bench. Borrow or buy one. I love my shower chair even now. Your foot cannot get wet and washing standing up is a real trick if you cannot put weight on both feet. My shower chair has side handles. For a shower, you take off the boot and wrap your foot in plastic bags, etc.

Slip proof your ceramic tile floors. Either use Grip On solution which lasts for years and years or use lots of skid proof floor rugs and shower and bath mats.

Make a chart for date, time, medications, etc. or buy a pill box with timer. You don't want to miss your meds!

Remember that you must keep your foot elevated above your heart level as much as possible to reduce swelling. This means you'll be sleeping on top of your comforter with your foot propped up on a large or many pillows. Ice packs do help when the boot is off. I found having an electric blanket or electric mattress pad under me and wool blankets as covers kept me comfortable in the winter. Get lots of library books or tape your favorite TV programs. You'll spend a lot of time prone those first weeks. Ask the doctor lots of questions like: do I have to wear the torture boot day and night? Etc. Do not miss your pain pills!

Home grab bar installations can be vertical, horizontal or diagonal.

1. Vertical grab bars (straight up or down). Have a handyman or carpenter install grab bars into studs or use anchoring devices. A shorter vertical bar mounted at the tub or shower entrance helps the person to enter or exit without losing their balance and falling.. Two more grab bars in the shower or tub let the person rise from the tub or bath chair or give more stability when the person is washing herself or himself. Usually the grab bars are 12, 16 or 18 inches long. We also sell Lumex Chrome Grab Bars - 32 Inch, Knurled that have better gripping surface and have a 250 lb. weight capacity. Save if you need several by buying the Chrome Grab Bars, 32 In Knurled, 3/CS by Medline. For those with glass sliding tub doors, the grab bars offer a secure way to regain balance. In order to install this grab bar for my mother, the handyman had to remove the 1950's glass sliding doors as the door track interfered with the mounting.

2. Horizontal handicap grab bars. This installation gives the option of using the grab bar as a towel bar, too. Typcially wall studs are 16 inches apart on center. If you examine other exposed areas of your home, you can determine more accurately where the centers are in the studs. Otherwise use a hollow wall anchor system available at hardware stores. That is why 16 inch, 32 inch and 48 inch grab bars are most common.

3. Diagonal installed. At the side of my Mom's toilet, there is a diagonally installed 32 inch grab bar. Installation may be more difficult. The positives are that grabbing a diagononal bar puts less stress on one's wrist. If installed in a shower, the diagonal bar is preferred by those who face only the shower head. The horizontal bar has can be used facing forward or backward but the height if obviously the same no matter where one grabs.

Grab bars are measured from the center of one flange (the round area that conceals the screws) to the center of the other flange. The flange covers typically measure about 1.5 inches on either side of the grab bar. So add three inches to the total length of the grab bar you need.

Safe Home sells quality grab bars from Lumex (Graham Field Health Products) and Medline Industries. Most are sold in packages of 3, all the same size. Lumex has individual packages as well. Your material/color choices include Chrome plated, White enamel over steel and Nickel Plated Steel. ADA compliant grab bars include the Carex brand from Medline in 12, 16, 18, and 24 inch sizes. Additional lengths are available. Just send us an email if your grab bars must be compliant with ADA.

Thank you for your question. Good luck with your surgery. By the way, I had an orthopedist do my foot: my podiatrist said that if he did it, I'd be on crutches for 6 weeks. I've since met women who had both feet done at the same time: they had family and friends care for them for several weeks.

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Question about the need to apply an anti-slip formula like Grip On on concrete and tile floors that are slippery when wet.

Q; " Why do I need to apply an anti-slip formula on the ceramic tile in my auto showroom? I have some indoor outdoor rug strips at the door for people to wipe their feet." Thanks. Warren

Answer: First, common sense says that preventing possible accidents is the best way to act when you have a floor that gets slippery either from moisture from beneath or from floor cleaning machines or feet. Having just returned from a trip to China, I will share my experience in a toll road restroom area. Imagine a huge, as in at least 75 feet by 50 feet area that includes a large tiled entrance plus tile in all the Asian and "American" toilets and in front of all of them. Imagine that all this area is wet with a cleaning solution. Shall I add that I walked very carefully because my feet were sliding? And I was concerned I might slide right into the Asian toilet (at least it was a flush one!). Secondly, Grip On makes concrete, ceramic, marble, granite, terrazzo, quarry tile, slate, and porcelain tile and bathtubs safer by increasing the coefficient of resistance to slipping and sliding. Yet the treatment is invisible.

Third, read what Safety Seal Products, the manufacturer of Grip On writes:

"Slip/fall accidents are a major problem. The statistics are substantial. After auto accidents, SLIP/FALL ACCIDENTS ARE THE LEADING CAUSE OF INSURANCE LIABILITY PAYMENTS. In addition, slip/fall accidents, paid for by workerscompensation claims, have greatly increased over the last 10 years.A

As a general rule of law, if an owner or possessor of a premises is aware of a dangerous condition, which could foresee ably harm an invitee and if he has been put on notice that there is a means to prevent such harm, then it could be inferred that should an accident result in an invitee being harmed, the possessor, owner of the property, would be charged with having the knowledge to correct the defective or accident-causing condition. As a result, the owner may be held to a higher standard of care and his probabilities of being held liable, and for damage against him are likely to be greater.

This partial description of negligence is an excerpt from a letter from our corporate attorneys explaining in simple language, if the owner or processor of a building has a dangerous situation (i.e., a floor that is slippery when wet) and is aware that there is a product available at a reasonable cost that can deter that accident-causing condition and he fails to use it, he has a greater chance of being held liable."

So if you want to keep employees and customers safe and keep your insurance premiums down, we suggest you treat that flooring and any other unsealed concrete flooring in bathrooms, work areas, etc. with Grip On. Application is fast. You need a clean floor, grease free that is unsealed. You need a mop, a bucket and clean water plus the Grip On. The application lasts for 1 to 3 years or more depending upon the location. Never wax that floor or seal it.

Q: " How much coverage do you get from a gallon of Grip On? I have an auto dealership with ceramic tiling in the customer waiting room and show room and am concerned about falls in cold weather or rainy weather? How long does this effect last? Thanks. Steve."

Answer: This one gallon size (128 Oz.) of Grip On treats about 400 square feet. Reduces the potential of personal injuries, lawsuits and litigation, employee days lost and increased insurance costs. The increased coefficient of friction gained when surfaces are treated (not coated) with Grip On® Anti-Slip Solution is a positive proven safety solution for owners of residential and commercial properties and facilities. The invisible "tread" to increases the coefficient of friction by 100% to 500%. Reapply one per year in heavily traffic areas.

Surfaces treated with Grip On® Anti-Slip Solution are automatically skid and slip resistant when wet or moistened. Use Grip On® Anti-Slip Solution on almost all hard surfaces, such as ceramic tile, glazed brick, marble, polished stone, terrazzo, river rock, concrete, and quarry tile.

Grip On®'s Simple Application Instructions:

Clean and rinse area. Pour Grip On™ on surface. Mop or sponge area liberally. Let stand for 15 to 20 minutes. Rinse off with clean water. Area is now ready to use.

After treatment, do not wax. Wax fills in the enhanced read created by the Grip On™ treatment. Reapply every 2 years for bath and shower areas. Reapply every year for traffic areas.

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Question about the most common dangers to children in and around homes.

Q: "We have a 6 month old baby, our first. Where should we begin to childproof our home? What are the biggest risks to a toddler or younger child? Thanks. Sue."

Answer: According to the USA Today, July 5, 2012 report, the Consumer Protection Product Safety Commission lists drowning, poisoning and tipping furniture as most common dangers. You may recall the baby crib recall. The cribs our parents used for us and we used for our children and grandchildren can no longer be sold. Remember the double release locks you pushed with your foot and the side dropped? The Commission received reports and does research to determine which products are safe.

Drowning, poisoning and tipping furniture are considered the most common risks to young children. Cordless window blinds are recommended to reduce risks of strangulation.

The COSC recommends that whatever safety devices you buy for do-it-yourself installation or have installed by handymen or professional childproofers meet voluntary industry standards or are recommended by the Juvenile Products Manufacturers Association.

Common sense tells you that poisons, medications, dishwasher detergent, etc. must be stored in secure places whether that place is a cupboard or a closet.

Here are a few suggestions based upon our customers' purchases:

Install child safety gates at the top and bottom of open stairways. Our customer favorites are the Cardinal Stairway Special Child Gate 27-42.5 Inches wide BLACK. These gates are made especially for stairways and can be installed at a 30 degree angle. Suggested mounted height: 29.5". Actual gate height: 27.75" (1.75" space from floor). Mount no higher than 4" off floor for toddler safety. (Gate height then is 31.75"). Bars are spaced 2.75 inches apart. Extensions are available. Also available are mounting kits for wrought iron, square posts and round post installations. This means few or no holes drilled into your railings or posts.

Door locks to keep children out of closets, from opening entrance or basement doors, etc. Safe Home sells a variety of locks. The most popular are the Patio Door Guardian SLIDING Door/SLIDING Window Lock in WHITE that works to keep sliding windows and sliding doors closed until you want them opened. For doors that swing, the most popular are the Door Guardian locks that come in silver nickel , brass, antique brass, chrome and white.

Deck netting and xbalcony guard products. Many openings in older outdoor decks are over 4 inches. Similarly balconies inside homes often are over 4 inches. Children or pets can slip through and die or suffer injuries. We sell black and silver deck netting for outside use and PET grade sturdy plastic balcony guard for indoor use.

Edge cushioning and corner covers are available for narrow and wide edges and corners. Hearth padcomes in many colors. Attaches quickly to hearth edges. Keeps young children from falling onto hard fireplace hearth edges. Install hearth padding with or without a metal backing.

These are childproofing products that are easily installed and may save the life of your child or grandchild or a visiting child.

Question about using Grip On® with a epoxy coated concrete floor or polyaspartic flooring coating.

Answer: I contacted the manufacturer for clarification on this interesting question. The answer is no. For an anti-slip floor, Grip On will not work after epoxy or polyaspartic coatings are applied to concret: the coatings fill the pores. What Grip On anti-slip floor solution does is fill in the pores invisibly to increase the resistance to slipping and falling. So Grip On® would not work in your situation. Also if you paint a concrete floor, the same situation occurs as the paint fills the pores.

One solution to your problem is to add a color dye to the concrete and use a water based xylene sealer: you want nothing to seal the pores of the floor as then it cannot be treated with Grip On®.

Why does Grip On work?All natural materials such as concrete, ceramic, marble, granite, terrazzo, quarry tile, slate, porcelain tile and bathtubs have natural voids in them. The larger the void, the more the surface of that material is slip resistant. This void creates a tread for you to walk on. Ceramic or glazed tile, as well as porcelain, are coated to create a shiny finished look to a floor or fixture. These coatings fill in the natural voids up to 70%. When you walk on the dry surface, you would not notice that the voids are filled. But, when the surface is wet, the water fills in the remaining 30% of the void and that is why a floor becomes slippery not allowing any space between the water and the bottom of your foot creating a hydroplane effect. Grip On® microscopically treats the surface of your floor or fixture in a way that brings back the natural void via the treads in the surface material. So, when a floor or bathtub is wet, it still allows you to feel surefooted. Grip On® Anti Slip Solution is a clear, chemical treatment that increases the co-efficient of friction and the safety of the surface when wet.

We sell Grip On® in various sizes from 4 oz bottles to drums. Among the sizes are

We also sell Grip On in a pallet of four 55 gallon barrels. With the drums, the lid stays on. What you do is purchase a vacuum or hose pump from your local hardware store. The lid has one 4 inch hole and one 2 inch hole so you can pump the Grip On out into containers you use for your applicators for spreading.

Grip On®'s Simple Application Instructions:

Clean and rinse area.

Pour Grip On™ on surface.

Mop or sponge area liberally.

Let stand for 15 to 20 minutes.

Rinse off with clean water.

Area is now ready to use.

After treatment, do not wax. Wax fills in the enhanced read created by the Grip On™ treatment. Reapply every 2 years for bath and shower areas. Reapply every year for traffic areas.

Additional Questions and Answers about Grip On®:

Q: How does Grip On® Anti-Slip Solution work?A: Grip On® Anti-Slip Solution is a process that increases the coefficient of friction on a tile floor or a porcelain bathtub. This is not a coating that can wear off: this is a process that creates a tread design on the mineral surface itself.

Q: Does the treated surface look or feel any different?A: There is no discernible change in appearance. However, when wet, the feeling is SAFE!

Q: Why is there a need for Grip On® Anti-Slip Solution? A: Slip/Fall accidents are the nation's #2 accidental killer. Over 9 million disabling injuries every year. Business insurance rates are skyrocketing. Increases of 25% annually are common.

Q: How long is the Grip On® guarantee? A: 2 years for bathtubs and showers. 1 year for traffic areas.

Q: Is Grip On® Anti-Slip Solution difficult to apply? A: No, Grip On® is easy to apply. One worker can treat hard surfaces at the rate of 600 square feet per hour, per worker. Bathtubs require less than 10 minutes with no strenuous work.

Q: Does Grip On® Anti-Slip Solution kill germs? A: The chemical in Grip On® Anti-Slip Solution is known to inhibit bacterial and fungi growth and to kill some bacteria and fungi. Test data is being gathered on germ killing and will be available at a later date.

Q: If my floor is sealed, can I still use Grip On® Anti-Slip Solution? A: Yes, Grip On® Anti-Slip Solution works through most floor seals and effectively applies the “invisible tread.” Two applications may be required for sealed floors.

Q: What if there is grease on my floor?A: Grip On® Anti-Slip Solution loosens grease, making it easier to remove any grease on your floor. More than one application may be required. Once again, it may take more than one application. Grip On® Anti-Slip Solution will loosen all hardened grease on your floor.

Q: Can I wax over the Grip On® Anti-Slip Solution?A: NO.Wax fills in the “invisible tread” that Grip On® Anti-Slip Solution placed on your floor. We recommend a dry buff to bring up the shine.

Q: Is Grip On® Anti-Slip Solution dangerous? A: The level of danger is similar to household bleach. Similar cautions are on each bottle. Keep out of reach of children. Avoid eye contact. Wear rubber gloves. Use in ventilated area. Can be fatal if swallowed. Do not use on wood, vinyls or plastics

Grip On Anti-Slip Solution Specifications:

Use on tile floors, bathtubs, showers and on almost all hard surfaces, such as ceramic tile, glazed brick, marble, polished stone, terrazzo, river rock, concrete, and quarry tile.

Coverage:

4 oz. bottle: 12 sq. ft.

16 oz. bottle: 48 sq. ft.

Gallon: 400 sq. ft,

5 Gallon Bucket: 2,000 sq. ft.

Increases the anti-slip CEF by 100% to 500%.

Chemical Name: Hydroxy Acetic Acid.

Physical State: Clear yellow, mild odor.

pH: 7.6.

Caution: Keep out of reach of children. Avoid eye contact. Wear rubber gloves. Use in ventilated area. Can be fatal if swallowed. Do not use on wood, vinyls or plastics.

Warranty: 1 year limited manufacturer's warranty on traffic areas; 2 years on bathtubs and showers. If the customer installed Grip On® Anti-Slip Solution, the company will send additional material to the customer at no cost excluding shipping

Disclaimer: GRIP ON® ANTI-SLIP SOLUTION helps to reduce the risk of slip/fall accidents, but Safety Seal Products Corp its' agents and representatives do not warrant or guarantee to the customer, or any other person or party, against the Occurrence of slip/falls, or other accidents, personal injury, or property damage of any nature. Accidents and falls may occur on treated areas, notwithstanding its treatment with Grip On® ANTI-SLIP SOLUTION and customer AGREES to indemnify and hold harmless Advanced Floor Care Products and its agents and representatives, free and harmless from any damages, claims, demands or causes of action arising in connection with or brought by anyone allegedly slipping, falling, tripping, or stumbling on treated area.